“U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced the recipients of the 2011 Sustainable Communities Grants, totaling nearly $96 million. Twenty-seven communities and organizations will receive Community Challenge grants and 29 regional areas will receive Regional Planning grants. The goal of HUD’s Sustainable Communities grants is to help communities and regions improve their economic competitiveness by connecting housing with good jobs, quality schools and transportation.”

Here’s the 411 from Luke Thomas from a few days back (in an article that also features Kat Anderson’s report from OccupyOAK):

“In San Francisco, Department of Public Works interim Director Mohammed Nuru revealed today City officials have offered OccupySF protesters an alternative location to setup camp. Though Nuru would not reveal the exact location, we understand the location to be a lot on the west side of Mission Street between 15th and 16th streets. A former school, the site has running water and bathrooms as well as classroom-type structures that could be used for organizational purposes. No word yet on whether OccupySF will take up the City’s offer but, we’re told, the offer has been accepted in good faith.”

“The Free Farm is an urban farm founded in January 2010, by a constellation of non-profit organizations in San Francisco. We are located on a 1/3 acre lot on the corner of Gough and Eddy Streets on a parcel loaned to us by St. Paulus Lutheran Church. In our first year we have built a farm, grown and given away over 2,500 pounds of fresh organic produce, convened gardening and urban homesteading workshops, and hosted community, school, and religious groups. Come by on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10am-2pm or the first Sunday of the month from 10am – noon, to visit the farm or lend a hand.”

Why don’t you check things out the next time you’re in the Western Addition?

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All the deets:

“Since its creation in January 2010, the Free Farm, as become many things to many different people.

-to cultivate the earth by growing fresh organic vegetables -to cultivate ourselves by tending to the well-being of body and mind, soul, and spirit-to cultivate society by creating a microcosm of mutuality, simplicity, generosity, and love

How we live out our intentions:-grow and give away food, seedlings, and garden supplies to those who are in need-offer garden, environmental, wellness education-facilitate diverse spiritual practices-advocate for environmental, climate, and food justice-practice hospitality and host community events”